Fire extinguisher



1949- w. F. KRAMER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Jan. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

WALTER F. KRAMER v 75 Z 1 ATTORNEYS Aug. 23, 1949. w. F. KRAMER FIRE EXTINGUISHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1946 INVENTOR.

WALTER F KRAMER 90%w/VW;

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1949 FIRE EXTINGUISHER awalteii EFhKmmerlBetmitM/Iich.

jApiilicaition 'JanuagyYZl, 146,'7Sei-i;IT'No..642I510 This invention relateseeneraliy' t0"fire=extinguishers andrefers'moremarticiilarly to improve- "ments in fireiextinguishers"responsivvto aprefieterminedmemperature? risetodisohargwapreselected fluid :into i the .ambient atmosphere.

fOne 'df 'theObjects. of thisinvention is 170131'0- vitie an "improved 'tautomatic fire *extingfiisher 'composedo'f .a're'lativelyffewsimple parts "capable :ofibeirgg "inexpensively manufactured, assembled "and installed.

FAnother object'o'f thisfi'nvention is t0"pro'\iide'a fire extinguisherhaving acontainerrefdaptdto thouse theiselected "fire extinguishmg'fiiiid'wmfier atmospheric pressune andi'havingrmeanswespon- "sive 'to"2.Jprelietermineditemperature"ris'ein the atmosphere -surrounding the :extingfiisher ""to apply a substantial :pressure "on the contents-of ithe container.

' Still another objectdf thiS"inVef1tiOn"iSTt0Tpt0- vfde a'fire extinguisher er the iboveiype havmg a'nozzle for dischargingtheifiufdfromfihe container into theatmospherein theform of'affine spray. "Asa, result, afogis created in'thentmossphere and any 'fire'in'the range"o'f..the extinguisheris smotheredfofla'ck of oxygen.

A further object of 'thisfinventionfisto. lprovide ta fusing ring constru-cte'dan'd arrangewto'respmild .guickly to abnormal elevationsin temperature'rin iithe altmosfihere ambientto 'the'fire 'extingfli'sher to release gas ..under sufiicient, pressure in fthe container to "force the contents of the container ?through" the .nozzleinto the. atmosphere.

Theforegdihg as well as other 'ob'jects'wi'lllhe ;ma'de more apparent as this Idescfiptionproceeds, -especially when considered in connection with the accompany drawings, wherein:

IFigurel Tis a. side elevationl view o'f 'aFfire rextingliisher constructedfinaccordance Withthis invention;

Figure 2 is a crosssectional view'throughi amaft dftheTfire extinguisher howninFigurl;

EigureZB is l a fragmentary sectional fiiew 'tlso showing a part o'fthefire eXtinguisherTiHustrtd in Figure 1;

"Figures 4,"5,"6fand7 are .respectivlyeross sec- "tional views "taken on the lines *4-4, "5.5, "5-76 andf'l-fl of Figure3; arid Figure B iss a detailed sectional 'view tken on "theline 8- 8 ofFigure 5.

"Ihefire :extinguisher selected .tfor the jfpuijpose .of'il'lustratingthe presentinveritionis'efdeptdto he'suspemied fromwfihe 'ceiiin'gof 'a room .or other "enclosure "and is automatically operated Sin response toarisein-temperature'a;bove'a"preiieterin the atmosphere.

40 pressure .suh, f'for sexamiite, .as .carbon dioxide.

and the outer end of the guide is integrally connected to the extension at the inner side of the reduced portion 29 by an annular partition 3| having orifices 32 therethrough.

A plunger 33 is slidably supported in the guide 30 and is formed with a head 34 at the inner end positioned in the annular flange l4 adjacent the outer ends of the cartridges 24. The plunger 33 projects outwardly beyond the outer end of the reduced portion 29 and a spray head 35 is slidably supported on the outer end of the plunger. The spray head has a sleeve portion 36 slidably mounted on the plunger in concentric relation to the reduced portion 29 and is formed with a frustro-conical surface 31 beyond the outer end of the reduced portion 29. The inside diameter of the reduced portion 29 is somewhat greater than the outside diameter of the sleeve portion 36 on the spray head and cooperates with the sleeve portion to form an annular passage 38 therebetween. The spray head 35 is removably held in assembled relation with the plunger 33 by a nut 39 threaded on the extreme outer end of the plunger 33.

The plunger 33 is normally in its outermost position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings wherein the head 34 engages the inner surface of the cap 26. A sealing gasket 40 is seated on the inner surface of the cap 26 around the opening for abutting engagement with the head 34 on the plunger to seal the ports 32 from the container and thereby prevent leakage. of the contents of the container. The gasket is formed of a material resistant to the particular fire extinguishing liquid employed and in cases where carbon tetrachloride is used, satisfactor results may be obtained by forming the asket 40 from a plastic or rubber composition.

The plunger 33 is normally urged to its innermost position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings by a coil spring 4| surrounding the plunger with the inner end abutting the head 34' and with the outer end abutting the annular wall 3|. The spring is held under compression or, in other words, the plunger 33 is held in its outermost position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings by a fusing element 42 comprising a ring 43 formed of two or more segments 44, yieldably urged apart by a spring eiand normally held together by a band 46 encircling the peripheral portions of the segments. Theouter 'end portions of the segments 44 engage the frustro-conical surface 31 on thespray head 35 and the inner ends of the segments abut the outer end of an adjustable nut 46 having a left-hand threaded engagement with the sleeve portion 28cm the cap 26. The nut 46 is adjustably positioned on the sleeve portion 28 to locatethe plunger 33 through the fusing element 42 and spray head 35 in the position shown in Figure3 of the drawings, wherein the head 34 is firmly engaged with the gasket 40 against the action of the coil spring 4|.

The band 46' is formed of a material having high thermal conducting characteristics, such for example, as copper, and also comprises a plurality of segments 41. The segments 41 are arranged -in overlapping relation and are secured together by a material characterized in that it fuses at relatively low temperatures. One end of each segment 41 terminates in an outwardly extending fin 48 in the manner clearly shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. The fins 48 render the fusing element highly sensitive to the temperature of the atmosphere in the range of the fire extinguisher and are largely responsible for the quick acting feature of the extinguisher. Another feature of the construction which contributes to the fast action of the extinguisher is the means provided for thermally insulating the band 46 from the metal parts of the extinguisher. This is accomplished herein by forming the sections 44 of the ring 43 from a heat insulating material such as fiber, plastic or other materials having characteristics similar to fiber. Thus the metal parts of the extinguisher are prevented from having a cooling or chilling effect on the band 43', and the temperature of the latter depends solely on the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. In actual tests the segments 4'! of the band 46' separated within three to seven seconds after the temperature of the atmosphere reached the fusing temperature of the material employed to secure the band segments together.

When the several parts of the fire extinguisher are in the relative positions thereof shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the spring 4| is held under compression by the fusing element 42 and the relatively weak springs 25 act on the inner ends of the cartridges 24 to position the latter in their respective guides |6 with the outer ends abutting the head 34 on the inner end of the plunger 33. Assuming now that the temperature of the ambient atmosphere exceeds the fusing temperature of the metal previously described ;as securing the segments 41 of the band 46' together, one or more of the segments 41 are disconnected from the band. As a result, the spring 45 separates the segments 44 of the ring 43 and displaces the latter from its position between the spray head 35 and the adjusting nut 4'6. This releases the spring 4| and permits the latter to move the plunger 33 inwardly at a rapid rate. Inasmuch as the outer ends of the cartridges 24 abut the head 34 on the plunger, it follows that the cartridges are moved inwardly in their respective guides by the plunger 33.

As the cartridges are forced inwardly by the spring 4|, the inner ends are punctured by the punches 22 and gas under pressure is discharged into the container l0 through the openings 23 in the tubular guides |6. As pressure builds up in the container Hi, the fire extinguishing fluid is discharged through outlet ports 5:) formed in the projections l5 and enters the tubular portion 28 of the cap 26. From the tubular portion 28, the fire extinguishing fluid under pressure fiows through the ports 32 into the annular passage 38 and is discharged from the annular passage against the frustro-conical surface 3'1 on the spray head 35. As a result, the fire extinguishing liquid is discharged in the form of a spray and produces fog in the atmosphere. This fog displaces the oxygen and smothers any fire that ;may be present. Y l

The fire extinguisher may be. reconditioned subsequent to operation thereof by merely re placing the punctured cartridges 24 and installing a new fusing element 42. Of course, an additional supply of fire extinguishing liquid is inserted into the container Iii through the opening |2 before the nozzle assembly is again assembled with the container. Thus, it. will be noted that the fire extinguisher not only operates to rapidly discharge the contents of the container ll] into the amosphere when the temperature of the atmosphere exceeds a predetermined value, but in addition, may be readily reconditioned subsequent to operation thereof.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinc eeses 5 guishers, comprising a havinga fluid passage and having a seat surrounding the passage, a member slidable relative 'to said part andfhaving a portion engageable with t-he'-'seat; spring means acting on the member-normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, means for holding the member in a positionWhereinsaid portion engages the seat including a segmental .ring positioned between said part and member, and .a ,band surrounding the segments of the ring for holding the ,seg-' ments in assembled relationship, Said band being formed of a plurality of sections held together by a fusible material.

2. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinguishers, comprising a part having a fluid passage and having a seat surrounding the passage, a member slidable relative to said part and having a portion engageable with the seat, spring means acting on the member normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, means for holding the member in a position wherein said portion engages the seat including a ring composed of disconnected segments and positioned between said part and member in concentric relation to the latter, a band surrounding the ring segments for holding the latter in assembled relationship and composed of sections held together by a material adapted to fuse in response to a predetermined temperature rise of the surrounding atmosphere, and spring means for displacing the ring segments in response to separation of the band sections.

3. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinmeans acting on the member normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, means for holding the member in a position wherein said portion engages the seat including a ring composed of disconnected segments of heat insulating material positioned between said part and member in concentric relation to the latter, a band of heat conducting material surrounding the ring segments for holding the latter in assembled relationship and composed of a plurality of arcuate sections held together by a material adapted to fuse in response to a predetermined temperature rise of the surrounding atmosphere.

4. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinguishers, comprising a part having a fluid passage and having a seat surrounding the passage, a member slidable relative to said part and having a portion engageable with the seat, spring means acting on the member normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, means for holding the member in a position wherein said portion engages the seat including a ring composed of disconnected segments of heat insulating material positioned between said part and member in concentric relation to the latter, a band of heat conductin material surrounding the ring segments for holding the latter in assembled relationship and composed of a plurality of arcuate sections held together by a material adapted to fuse in response to a predetermined temperature rise of the surrounding atmosphere, and a spring held under compression within the ring and acting on the segments tending to fonce the latter outwardly against the band.

5. A -discharge nozzle-assembly for fire extinguishers, c mprising a part having a fluid passage and having :a seat surrounding .the passage, a member slidable relative to .said part and having :a por tion engageable with the seat, spring means acting on-t'he member normally urging the latter in :a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, :means for holding the memher in a position wherein said portion engages the seat including a ring composed of disconnected segments and positioned betweensaid part and member in concentric relation to the latter,-a band surrounding the ring segments for holding the latter in assembled relationship and composed of sections held together by a material .adaptedeto fuse in response :to a predetermined temperature rise of the surrounding atmosphere, -andheat conducting fins extending outwardly from the band.

6. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinguishers, comprising a part having a fluid passage and having a seat surrounding the passage. a member slidable relative to said part and having a portion engageable with the seat, spring means acting on the member normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, means for holding the member in a position wherein said portion engages the seat including a ring composed of disconnected segments of heat insulating material positioned between said part and member in concentric relation to the latter, a band of heat conducting material surroundin the ring segments for holding the latter in assembled relationship and composed of a plurality of arcuate sections held together by a material adapted to fuse in response to a predetermined temperature rise of the surrounding atmosphere, fins of heat conducting material extending outwardly from the band sections into the atmosphere, and means for displacing the ring segments outwardly in response to separation of the band sections.

'7. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinguishers, comprising a part having a fluid passage and having a seat surrounding the passage, a member slidable relative to said part and having a portion engageable with the seat, spring means acting on the member normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, a second part threaded on the first part in concentric relation to the member, a third part movable with the member toward the second part upon movement of the member by the spring and having a portion cooperating with the second part to form an annular discharge orifice, means for holding the member in a position wherein the portion aforesaid there-of is in engagement with the valve seat including a ring composed of disconnected segments and positioned between the second and third parts in concentric relation to said memher, and means for holding the segments in assembled relationship includin a band surrounding the ring segments and composed of sections attached together by a fusible material.

8. A discharge nozzle assembly for fire extinguishers, comprising a part having a fluid passage and having a seat surrounding the passage, a member slidable relative to said part and having a portion engageable with the seat, spring means acting on the member normally urging the latter in a direction to disengage said portion from the seat, a second part threaded on the first part in concentric relation to'the member, a third part movable with the member toward the second part upon movement of the member by the spring and having a portion cooperating with the second part to form an annular discharge orifice, means for holding the memher in a position wherein the portion aforesaid thereof is in engagement with the valve seat including a ring composed of disconnected se ments and positioned between the second and third parts in concentric relation to said member, a band surrounding the ring segments for holding the latter in assembled relationship and composed of separable sections held together by a material adapted to fuse in response to a predetermined temperature rise of the surrounding atmosphere, and spring means for displacing 8 REFERENCES orrim' The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAI ENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,909,837 Laengel V May 16, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 443,685 Great Britain Mar. 4, 1936 450,772 Great Britain July 24, 1936 the ring segments in response to separation of the band sections.

WALTER F. KRAMER. 

